26 Family
and Community Services (Closure of Student Financial Supplement Scheme)
Bill 2003

Student Assistance Amendment Bill 2003

Adjourned
debate on the motion of the Minister representing the Minister for Communications,
Information Technology and the Arts—That this bill be now read a second
time.

And on the amendment moved by Senator Nettle —At the end of
the motion, add “but the abolition of the Student Financial Supplement
Scheme be opposed until such time as the Commonwealth moves to improve
student financial support measures to meet the need this scheme currently
addresses and that the Commonwealth move to improve current financial
support measures in the following ways:

(a) that the Commonwealth Government replace Youth Allowance and Austudy
with one simple payment that incorporates the following measures:

(i) the
age of independence be reduced to 18,

(ii) the
eligibility criteria should not be based upon previous personal earnings,

(iii) the
personal income threshold (currently set at $236 per fortnight, without
affecting benefit payments) should be increased to a more realistic
figure,

(iv) the
parental income test cut-off threshold should be increased to allow
greater access to higher education,

(v) that
same sex couples be recognised as de facto relationships for the purposes
of income support measures including student income support,

(vi) all
postgraduate awards be redefined as ‘approved courses’ for the purposes
of rent assistance,

(vii) as
a minimum, students be provided with benefits consistent with the Henderson
poverty line, and

(viii) that
these benefits be indexed to the Consumer Price Index, with reference
to the Henderson poverty line; and

further,
that Abstudy be maintained as a separate scheme, and that within this
payment structure:

(b) all supplementary benefits, allowances and payments available under
the Abstudy scheme be maintained;

(c) all payment structures be endorsed and approved by Indigenous community
organisations;

(d) any future rationalisation of the Abstudy allowances only occur
after sustained and authentic dialogue with Indigenous communities across
Australia; and

(e) the changes made to Abstudy in the 1997-98 Commonwealth Budget
should be reversed”—( Minister for Family and Community Services (Senator Patterson), in
continuation, 26 November 2003 ).

Adjourned
debate on the motion of Minister for the Arts and Sport (Senator Kemp)—That
these bills be now read a second time.

And on the amendment moved by Senator Sherry in respect of the Superannuation
Legislation Amendment Bill 2002 —At the end of the motion, add
“but the Senate is of the opinion that the bill should be withdrawn
and redrafted to:

(a) ensure that the proposed surcharge tax reduction to high-income
earners, the splitting of superannuation contributions and the closure
of the public sector funds do not proceed; and

(b) provide for a fairer contributions tax cut that will boost retirement
incomes for all superannuation fund members to assist in preparing the
nation for the ageing population”.

And on the amendment moved by Senator Cherry in respect of the Superannuation
(Government Co-contribution for Low Income Earners) Bill 2002 —At
the end of the motion, add “but the Senate notes that analysis provided
to the Select Committee on Superannuation shows that extending the co-contribution
to workers on average earnings would have a significant positive effect
on national savings, and that this could be funded by better targeting
of the Government’s superannuation measures” ( adjourned, Special Minister of State (Senator Abetz), 18 November
2002 ).

33 Budget
statement and documents 2003-04

Adjourned
debate on the motion of the Minister for Finance and Administration
(Senator Minchin)—That the Senate take note of the statement and documents
( adjourned, Leader of The Nationals in the Senate (Senator Boswell),
15 May 2003 ).

34 Budget
statement and documents 2002-03

Adjourned
debate on the motion of the Minister for Finance and Administration
(Senator Minchin)—That the Senate take note of the statement and documents
( adjourned, Special Minister of State (Senator Abetz), 16 May 2002 ).